New Balance 574 Sizing: True to Size, Legacy and Collabs

The New Balance 574 is one of the easier New Balance shoes to size: order your normal size and you will be right for most feet. The wrinkles come from the newer versions. The 574 Legacy has a lower toe box than the original shape, and a few collaborations change the length or the volume enough to be worth a second look.

Below you will find what to expect from the standard pair, how the Legacy and collabs differ, how to convert for women's sizing, and the size chart.

The short version for the standard 574

The 574 is a mid-priced, everyday sneaker built around a suede and mesh upper and a soft midsole. It has been around for decades, and the sizing has stayed largely consistent over that time. Length is close to what the size label says, and the toe box gives enough room without being sloppy.

That makes it a good model for first-time New Balance buyers. If you already know your size in a typical sneaker, start there. Nike buyers can use the brand size comparison to cross-check the number, though most people find that their usual Nike size carries over directly.

• Narrow or average feet: true to size, for a snug but easy fit.
• Slightly wide feet: true to size usually works, with a little extra toe room if you pick the larger of two sizes.
• Wide feet: true to size if the toe box feels fine, and half a size up for the Legacy.

574 Legacy: the toe box is lower

The Legacy is a modest update of the original shape, with the same general look and a few changes to the proportions. The thing wearers notice first is the height of the toe box. It is not narrow, and the width is fine, but the top of the toe area sits low enough that it can press down on your toes, mostly around the nails.

This is the same kind of fit issue that people report in some Adidas Yeezy runners, where length and width are right but the roof of the toe box feels shallow. If you have ever disliked a shoe because it pressed on top of your toes, take that history seriously here. Sizing up half a size can ease it, since the extra length also adds a little vertical room.

Who should do what:

• Narrow or normal-width feet, you like a snug, one-to-one fit: true to size.
• Wider feet or a roomier preference: half a size up.
• History of shallow toe box trouble: half a size up.

Collaborations can break the rules

Collabs often keep the 574 name but change the shape, the materials or both. Two examples show how much that can matter.

Salehe Bembury 574 Yurt

The Yurt behaves very differently from the standard pair. It runs a bit long, but the width feels tighter than the length suggests. That is a frustrating combination, because going down fixes the length and then squeezes the sides. Narrow and average feet can usually take half a size down. Wider feet are better off at their true size and putting up with a little extra length.

Stone Island Legacy and similar pairs

Special editions built on the Legacy inherit the lower toe box, and the materials can make it more noticeable. Thick or lined panels cut down on the vertical space even further. If a collab uses heavy materials, treat it as the more restrictive of the two options and lean toward the larger size when you are on the fence.

The rule that works across collabs: read the material description and a few owner reviews for that specific pair, then adjust your usual 574 size by half a size at most.

How the 574 compares with other New Balance models

Between New Balance models, the biggest factor is the shape of the shoe, not the brand name on the box. Here is a rough map:

• 574 vs 550: the 550 runs about half a size long and has a narrow toe box. If you are a 9 in the 574, the 550 is often best at an 8.5.
• 574 vs 9060: the 9060 is chunkier and roomier, and the two are different enough that you should not assume they match.
• 574 vs 530: the 530 has a mesh upper and extra room, and most people go half a size down in it.
• 574 vs 2002R: both are comfortable at true size, though the 2002R has a more padded, structured feel.

The big-picture summary of how New Balance sizing works lives in our New Balance sizing guide.

Women's sizing

In the women's range, the 574 Legacy fits true to size, and the cushioned, chunkier build leaves a little more presence around the midsole and heel than the original. The conversion from men's to women's is the standard 1.5: a men's 7.5 equals a women's 9.

The toe box already gives a little extra width, so your regular size is the right starting point for nearly every foot. If you have wide, flat feet, or you hate any pressure across the forefoot, half a size up is an option. Keep in mind that sock thickness changes the picture. Thick socks take up room, and thin socks make the same shoe feel looser. The men's to women's size guide covers the conversion in more detail.

When you are between two sizes

A lot of buyers measure a half size apart from what they usually wear, and the 574 does not force an answer. A few rules of thumb help. If the pair is a standard 574 and you tend toward a snug, supportive feel, take the smaller size. If it is a Legacy or any pair with thick padding, take the larger. If you wear the shoes mostly in warm weather with thin socks, you can go smaller, since your feet will swell more in heat and the mesh gives some relief. In cold weather with thick socks, the larger size is safer.

It also helps to remember what you are optimizing for. A half size is only about half a centimeter of foot length on our chart, but it can feel like a lot more in a shoe with a low roof. The fastest way to avoid a return is to decide whether your main worry is length or height, and let that settle the question.

If you are coming from running shoes

Runners often wear their running shoes a half size or a full size larger than their street size, so that toes have space on long runs. The 574 is a lifestyle shoe, and it is not built for that. Use your everyday sneaker size here, not your running size, and keep that in mind if you are using an older pair of running shoes as a reference.

Widths and stretch

A standard 574 is sold in a regular D width for men and B for women. Some core colorways are also sold in wider widths, so look for that on the product page if you know you need extra room. If the widths are new to you, the shoe width chart explains what D, E, 2E and the rest mean.

Suede and mesh will soften slightly with wear, but length will not change. If your toes are touching the end of the shoe on the first try, no amount of break-in will fix it.

What to check when your pair arrives

1. Lace up fully and stand up. You want roughly a finger's width in front of your longest toe.
2. Wiggle your toes. In a Legacy pair, notice whether the roof of the toe box rests on your nails.
3. Walk around on a clean floor for a few minutes. Your heel should stay put without squeezing.
4. Try the shoes with the socks you plan to wear. Thin dress socks and thick cushioned socks can change the answer by half a size.

If you are not sure what size your feet are, measure them at home and compare the result to the chart.

New Balance 574 size chart

The 574 uses New Balance's standard conversions. Find the closest foot length, then adjust by half a size for the Legacy or a collab if the notes above apply to you.

Example: a 27 cm foot is a men's US 9. In a standard 574 we would order the 9. In a 574 Legacy with wide feet, we would move to a 9.5.

Final recommendation

For the standard New Balance 574, order your usual size. For the Legacy, stay true to size if your feet are narrow or average, and go up half a size if your feet are wide or the top of your toes is sensitive. For collabs such as the Yurt, read the specific fit notes before you buy, because the sizing may not match the base shoe.